12th Annual ScriptFest, Great American PitchFest Dedicated To Sarah Jones

This year, the 12th annual ScriptFest and The Great American PitchFest are teaming up with the Sarah Jones Film Foundation to raise funds and awareness for safety as well as offer a free film safety seminar to anyone who would like to attend. All speakers and participants this year are not getting paid to come and are rather donating their time to help the Sarah Jones Foundation raise money. The conference takes place on May 29 to May 31 at the Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel & Convention Center. About 2,000 writers attend each year to meet with about 120 agents, managers, and production companies who listen to their script idea and pitches. Members of the Jones family are expected to be in attendance.

Those who are guest speaking this year are Oscar winners Diablo Cody (Juno) and Nick Reed (The Lady in Number 6), show runners Hart Hanson (Bones), Steven S. DeKnight (Daredevil, Spartacus), Bob Kushell (The Muppets), and Peter Gould (Better Call Saul), as well as the writing staff from Better Call Saul. Also participating in a silent auction this year are items from Oscar winner Graham Moore (The Imitation Game) and Series Creator/Star Mindy Kaling (The Mindy Project).

ScriptFest will also gift $5,000 to the Foundation, as well as donate monies from t-shirt sales and
the auction.

Established by Elizabeth and Richard Jones after the on-set death of their daughter Sarah Elizabeth Jones in Feb. 2014, the Sarah Jones Film Foundation’s mission statement is to create safer film sets through education programs and grants for organizations that teach safety on film sets.

“This year we wanted to step-up the educational efforts of ScriptFest by not only helping emerging writers make connections and develop the skills to further their careers, but also by offering them a practical seminar that can make everyone safer on-the-set,” explains ScriptFest President Bob Schultz. “This is an important issue that affects the entire film and television industry and we’re thrilled to lend our support to the Sarah Jones Foundation.”